Daily Yellowstone journal., 1887-06-03
THE poersss OF PASSION


Tells OF picturesque Cuoa ana us beau-
tifui womsn-Chiidren and Beggars.
Mrs. Ella Wheeler Wilcox, the poetess,
who paid a flying trip to Cuba some weeks
ago In search Of health and inspiration,
has returned to her native heath with a
liberal supply Of both and enlarged ideas
on the subject Of oranges and cigarettes.
81 have had q delightful time" she
said, In response TO a question put to her
about the trip. "We left New York in a
binding snowstorm and rived in Cuba
10 find the native womea tanning them
selves under the tropical trees airily clad
in the fiimsiest lawns and laces. The
change from winter to midsummer was
30 rapid that il reminded n of the scenes
changing on a stage"
"But what was your opinion OF Ha-
vana"
81 was very much charmed with my
first view of the city as we came into port,
from the deck of the Niagara. The sun
shining on the limestone walls of the
houses gave the illusion that they were
wrought out Of gold. The sky was a soft,
amber color, and the voices In the distance
sounded unsteady TO the ear. IL was
just such a picture as m to n in
dreams-as wonderful, at first sight, as
a vision of the celestial city. When we
had strolled through the curious streets
and inhaled the odors peculiar TO the place,
we were satisfied hat Havana was any
thing but celestial. A more varied as
sortment Of smells striving for pre-
eminence / have never met with before in
my life. The gardens, filed with tropic
plants and flowers, Iwere in a blaze Of
glory, and musical with the tinkle Of
fountains"
81 found many of the women very beau
tiful and picturesque. The place where
they congregate is Belote, a very fashion
able bath, where the Havana ladies, soft
eyed and yellow skinned, took their morn
ing bath. Some of them were beautiful
as a dream, with pearly teeth and dark,
%languorous eyes and undulating forms of
matchless beauty. Nearly every lady l
saw wore a lace mantilla over her head,
which only added q piquant grace to the
lovely faces that shone out from beneath
the flmy folds.
''The beggars Of Havana are not the
least interesting Of the many curious
types Of people to be met with in that
city. There seems to be a larger variety
of cripples than is to be found anywhere
else, and they are all trying to sell lottery
tickets. They invade the hotels some
times in the midst of a table d'hote. II
is not pleasant, you can imagine, to have
a beggar served up to you at the same
time as the soup. They will linger around
until the walters drive them out with
mild profanity and q flourish of white
napkins.
''The Cuban children seem to be era
died in the gutter, for go where you will
you will find them rolling half nude in
the cutters, some Of them smoking cigar
cites and not ~unfrequently huge cigars
which they can hardly manage. One
thing impressed me very much, and that
is the way they abuse horses there. /
think 1t would be a splendid field of ac-
ton for Mr.. Bergh and his associates.
Stunted mules or ponies are compelled to
bear immense panniers, into which are
crowded enough things to stock a store.
On the mountain sits the lazy peddler,
smoking and lashing the poor, emaciated
beasts staggering through the dusty
streets"
"Did you. find everybody smoking in
Havana" Mrs. Wilcox was asked.
eyes. never saw such a population
Of buffers. All day long the incense from
cigars and cigarettes ascends toward
heaven. Every one smokes-mothers,
sons, daughters, babies, patriarchs, morn
ing, noon and night, at meals and between
meals, puff! puff! puffr-New York
Journal Interview.